Association information representing the association between the first information and the second information is set in the first record belonging to the first information and the second record belonging to the second information that are stored in a storage medium. A field area where data of the designated first record is inserted and a field area where data of the second record associated with the first record is inserted in accordance with the association information are laid out in a page on the basis of the template.
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1. An information processing apparatus having a host computer which lays out, in a page on the basis of a template, field areas for inserting data of data fields selected from a record made up of a plurality of types of data fields, said host computer comprising: a first storage unit adapted to store a merchandise table including merchandise information and merchandise key information and an advertisement table including advertisement information and advertisement key information; a second storage unit adapted to store association information representing association between the merchandise key information and the advertisement key information; and a layout unit adapted to lay out, in a page on the basis of the template, a field area where a designated merchandise information is inserted, and a field area where advertisement information corresponding to searched advertisement key information is inserted, wherein the searched advertisement key information corresponds to merchandise key information of the designated merchandise information in accordance with the association information; wherein said layout unit executes lay out of the field area where the merchandise information is inserted before executing lay out of the field area where the advertisement information is inserted.
An information processing apparatus (host computer) automatically lays out merchandise and advertisement information on a page using a template. It stores merchandise data (name, price, etc.) and associated advertisement data. An association table links merchandise to relevant ads. When merchandise is selected, the system finds corresponding ads and lays them out on the page based on the template. The layout engine prioritizes merchandise information before the advertisement information layout.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said layout unit executes, in a page on the basis of the template, a lay out of a merchandise record field area where the designated merchandise information is inserted, and then executes, in the same page, lay out of an advertisement record field area where the advertisement record information is inserted.
Building upon the system described previously, the layout process first lays out a merchandise record field on a page using a template and then lays out an advertisement record field on the *same* page, inserting the associated advertisement information there. Both merchandise and related ads are placed together on a single page layout.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an output unit adapted to output a layout result by said layout unit.
The information processing apparatus described previously includes an output unit that displays or exports the completed layout, allowing a user to preview or use the generated page with merchandise and advertisement information arranged according to the template. The output could be a screen display or printout.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a setting unit adapted to set the association information representing the association between the merchandise key information and the advertisement key information, said setting unit further comprising a priority order setting unit adapted to set priority order at which the advertisement information is inserted into the field area, wherein said priority order is an order to output advertisement or a ratio at which an advertisement is output.
The information processing apparatus described previously includes a settings module where users can configure the association between merchandise and advertisement data. This module also lets users set a priority order for ads, defining the order in which they appear or their frequency of display. This enables control over ad placement based on importance or desired exposure levels.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a setting unit adapted to set the association information representing the association between the merchandise key information and the advertisement key information, said setting unit further comprising a frequency setting unit adapted to set a frequency at which the advertisement information is inserted into the field area.
Expanding upon the apparatus described earlier, a setting unit allows setting the association information between merchandise and advertisement. Crucially, a frequency setting unit allows specifying how often a particular advertisement should be inserted into the layout. This means some advertisements can appear more often than others based on configured frequencies.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the information processing apparatus is a server apparatus connected to a network.
In the information processing apparatus described in the first claim, the apparatus is specifically implemented as a server connected to a network. The server is responsible for generating layouts of merchandise and advertisement information which can then be accessed by other networked devices.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a transmission unit adapted to transmit, to a client apparatus connected to the network, a preview window for previewing a layout result by said layout unit.
Extending the server-based system described previously, a transmission unit sends a preview of the generated layout to a client device over the network. This allows users to view the layout (merchandise and advertisements) before final publication or printing.
8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a transmission unit adapted to transmit a layout result by said layout unit to an image forming apparatus connected to the network.
Further extending the server-based system, a transmission unit sends the final layout of merchandise and advertisement information to an image forming apparatus (e.g., a printer) connected to the network. This enables direct printing of the generated pages.
9. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus which lays out, in a page on the basis of a template, field areas for inserting data of data fields selected from a record made up of a plurality of types of data fields, comprising: a setting step of setting association information representing association between a merchandise table having merchandise information and merchandise key information, and an advertisement table including advertisement information and advertisement key information in a merchandise record and an advertisement record which are stored in a storage medium, the merchandise record belonging to the merchandise information and the advertisement record belonging to the advertisement information; and a layout step adapted to lay out, in a page on the basis of the template, a field area where a designated merchandise information is inserted, and a field area where advertisement information corresponding to searched advertisement key information is inserted, wherein the searched advertisement key information corresponds to merchandise key information of the designated merchandise information in accordance with the association information; wherein said layout step lays out the field area where the data of the merchandise is inserted prior to lay out the field area where the data of the advertisement record is inserted.
A method implemented by an information processing apparatus automatically lays out merchandise and advertisement information on a page using a template. It involves storing merchandise data (name, price, etc.) and advertisement data, and creating an association table linking merchandise to relevant ads. When merchandise is selected, the system finds corresponding ads and lays them out on the page based on the template, prioritizing merchandise information layout before the advertisement information layout.
10. A program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for causing a computer to execute control of an information processing apparatus which lays out, in a page on the basis of a template, field areas for inserting data of data fields selected from a record made up of a plurality of types of data fields, characterized by causing the computer to execute a setting step of setting association information representing association between a merchandise table having merchandise information and merchandise key information, and an advertisement table including advertisement information and advertisement key information in a merchandise record and an advertisement record which are stored in a storage medium, the merchandise record belonging to the merchandise information and the advertisement record belonging to the advertisement information; and a layout step of laying out, in a page on the basis of the template, a field area where a designated merchandise information is inserted, and a field area where advertisement information corresponding to searched advertisement key information is inserted, wherein the searched advertisement key information corresponds to merchandise key information of the designated merchandise information in accordance with the association information; wherein said layout step lays out the field area where the data of the merchandise is inserted prior to lay out the field area where the data of the advertisement record is inserted.
A program stored on a computer-readable medium that, when executed, controls an information processing apparatus to automatically lay out merchandise and advertisement information on a page using a template. The program guides the apparatus through storing merchandise and advertisement data, creating associations, selecting merchandise, finding associated ads, and laying out merchandise information before advertisements on the page.
11. An information processing apparatus having a host computer comprising: a first storage unit adapted to store a merchandise table including merchandise information and merchandise key information and an advertisement table including advertisement information and advertisement key information; a second storage unit adapted to store association information representing association between the merchandise key information and the advertisement key information; a selection unit adapted to select merchandise information; an acquisition unit adapted to search advertisement key information corresponding to merchandise key information of the merchandise information selected by said selection unit according to the association information, and acquire advertisement information corresponding to the searched advertisement key information; a determination unit adapted to determine, by using a template, positions and sizes of respective areas where the merchandise information selected by said selection unit and the advertisement information acquired by said acquisition unit are flowed; and a flowing unit adapted to flow the merchandise information and the advertisement information into the areas of the positions and sizes determined by said determination unit; wherein said determination unit determines a position and size of the area where the merchandise information is flowed before determining a position and size of the area where information on the advertisement information is flowed.
An information processing apparatus comprises a host computer which includes a merchandise table and an advertisement table, and association information linking them. Upon selecting merchandise, the system retrieves associated ads. A template guides determining the position and size of areas where the merchandise and advertisement information will be displayed. The system flows the information into those areas. The position and size of the merchandise area is determined before the advertisement area.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the template is determined on the basis of the merchandise information selected by said selection unit and the advertisement information acquired by said acquisition unit.
Expanding on the apparatus described previously, the template that dictates the layout (position and size of merchandise and advertisement areas) is determined based on characteristics of the selected merchandise information *and* the acquired advertisement information. The merchandise and ad content influence template selection.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the template is determined on the basis of the number of pieces of advertisement information acquired by said acquisition unit.
Building on the previous apparatus description, the template selection (determining layout positions and sizes) depends on the *number* of associated advertisements retrieved. The more ads there are, the more a template will be selected that accommodates them.
14. A layout method comprising: storing a merchandise table including merchandise information and merchandise key information and an advertisement table including advertisement information and advertisement key information; storing association information representing association between the merchandise key information and the advertisement key information; a selection step of selecting merchandise information; an acquisition step of acquiring search advertisement key information corresponding to merchandise key information of the merchandise information selected by said selection step according to the association information, and acquiring advertisement information corresponding to the search advertisement key information; a determination step of determining, by using a template, positions and sizes of respective areas where the merchandise information selected in the selection step and the advertisement information acquired in the acquisition step are flowed; and a flowing step of flowing the merchandise information and the advertisement information into the areas of the positions and sizes determined in the determination step, wherein said determination step determines a position and size of the area where information on the merchandise information is flowed prior to determine a position and size of the area where information on the advertisement information is flowed.
This describes a layout method that stores merchandise and advertisement information, associating them through key information. Upon selecting merchandise, the method retrieves linked advertisements. A template guides the determination of position and size for each item (merchandise and advertisement). The merchandise information flows into the designated area, followed by the advertisement information. The position and size of the merchandise information area is determined before that of the advertisement.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the template is determined on the basis of the merchandise information selected in the selection step and the advertisement information acquired in the acquisition step.
Following the layout method just described, the selection of the layout template (for determining positions and sizes) is based on the characteristics of both the selected merchandise information and the retrieved advertisement information. Template determination considers both aspects.
16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the template is determined on the basis of the number of pieces of advertisement information acquired in the acquisition step.
Following the layout method described above, the template is chosen based on the *number* of advertisements retrieved for the selected merchandise. More advertisements might trigger a different template with more space.
17. A program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium characterized by causing a computer to execute storing a merchandise table including merchandise information and merchandise key information and an advertisement table including advertisement information and advertisement key information; storing association information representing association between the merchandise key information and the advertisement key information; a selection step of selecting merchandise information; an acquisition step of acquiring search advertisement key information corresponding to merchandise key information of the merchandise information selected by said selection step according to the association information, and acquiring advertisement information corresponding to the search advertisement key information; a determination step of determining, by using a template, positions and sizes of respective areas where the merchandise information selected in the selection step and the advertisement information acquired in the acquisition step are flowed; and a flowing step of flowing the merchandise information and the advertisement information into the areas of the positions and sizes determined in the determination step, wherein said determination step determines a position and size of the area where information on the merchandise information is flowed prior to determine a position and size of the area where information on the advertisement information is flowed.
A program, stored on a computer-readable medium, orchestrates the layout process. It begins with storing merchandise and associated advertisement information and retrieves ads linked to a selected merchandise item, according to association information. Positions and sizes on a page are defined using a template, and content is flowed into these areas. Critically, the program determines the position and size of the merchandise area prior to determining that of the advertisement.
18. The program according to claim 17 , wherein the template is determined on the basis of the merchandise information selected in the selection step and the advertisement information acquired in the acquisition step.
Building on the program above, template selection considers characteristics of *both* the selected merchandise and the linked advertisement information when deciding on the layout (positions and sizes). The template selection logic factors in both.
19. The program according to claim 17 , wherein the template is determined on the basis of the number of pieces of advertisement information acquired in the acquisition step.
As an extension to the program defined earlier, the template for laying out merchandise and ads on a page is chosen according to the *number* of advertisements retrieved for a given merchandise item. The quantity of advertisements influences template selection.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 20, 2006
June 11, 2013
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